Grain and stock rack



AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA K.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1918. 1,333,879. Patented Mar. 16,1920.

V. 2 S EEEEEEEEEEE l- I G. S. SOWERS.

GRAIN AND STOCK RACK.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1918- I Patented Mar. 16, 1920.

2 SHEEIS-SHEET 2.

' UNITED STATES PATENT oFngioEp GEORGE S. SOWERS, OF SPRING HILL, KANSAS.

GRAIN AND STOCK RACK.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE S. Sownns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spring Hill, in the county of Johnson, State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain and Stock Racks, of which the following is-a full and exact specification.

The present invent-ion relates to grain and stock racks, and one of the principal ob jects of the invention is to provide an improved adjustable rack construction which will adapt the same for use for either stock or grain hauling purposes and also permit of the sides of the rack being either entirely dispensed with for certain kinds of hauling, or readily and conveniently adjusted to different heights as the rack is being loaded or unloaded.

It is also sought to provide an adjustable rack of the character described in which the side bars inclosing the sides of the rack are provided with improved means for detachably mounting the same in their normal position of use, and also-with means for retaining said side bars (when not in use) in compactly assembled relation at the opposite sidesof the rack.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved stock chute construction in connection with the rear end of the rack, and embodying a movable gate member adapted to act either as a gate, when in upright position, or as the floor. of a chute when in lowered position; and associated with this gate member is a pair of grate members adapted to be removably mounted at the sides of saidgate member and also provided with means for. detachably suspending the same from the sides of the rack whenever the chute construction is not required.

It is also sought to provide a neat, simple,

and inexpensive construction of this type,

and which will comprise as few parts as possible and yet be strong and durable, as well as economical to manufacture.

With these general objects in view, as well as minor objects as will appear in the course of the detailed description, the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating one form of embodiment of the improvements, after which the novel features therein will Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Mar. 16, 1920.

Application filed June 10, 1918.

Serial No. 239.280.

Figs. 2 and 3 are side and 'rear end views,

respectively, of the same, but illustrating the rear end of the rack as closed and the sides of the stock chute suspended from the sides of the rack;

Fig. 4 is aside elevation similar to Fig.

2, but showing the side bars of the rack demounted and assembled at the bottom of the rack;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged and broken perspeclive view of one of the side rail supporting brackets;

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the end portion of one of the side rails and illustrating the cross-bar element for engagement with the supporting bracket for the purpose of preventing endwise movement of the rail;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of arail end portion illustrating another form of bracketcngaging means for preventing endwise movement of the rail;

Fig. 8 is a perspective View of a modified form of construction for connecting the side rails and the rack standards, showing the parts in disengaged relation; and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a further modified form of construction for connecting the side rails with the standards, with the parts shown in engaged or connected relation.

Referring to the drawings in detail, I have illustrated therein a run-ning'gear 10 which may be of any approved orpreferred type of construction, having the bolsters 12 thereof carrying the beams 14: which support the flooring 16 that forms the bed of" the rack body. Each side of the rack bed is provided with a stiffening strip 18 which is applied to the ends of the flooring 16 as shown in Fig. 1. At each end of the rack is mounted a series of uprights or standards, comprising the corner standards 20, and intermediate standards 22, each being secured .to the rack bed in upright position by means of angle brackets 24.- For inclosing the rack at the ends, a series of cross strips or boards faces ot' the' cornerstandarda thelz ta 26 are secured to the front standards 20, in spaced relation, and a=-siniilar seriesoi short cross strips 28 is secured to the rear standards and connect the corner standards with their adjacent intermediate standards, but leave a gateway between said rear intermediate standards 22.

Mounted between the rear standards'22 tor closingsaid gateway is a gate member 80 of strong construction provided with hinge elements 32 (seeFigftl) for pivotal connection with-therear edge of the rack bed,'and adapted to allow said gate 30. to swing from upright position as illustrated in Fig. 3, to lowerhoriZont-a-l 1) or more or less inclined. position as conditions may require, so as to torm the floor of a stock chute leading to :the rear end'ot the rack and connnunicatingv with said gateway when the construction is operated as arstocl; rack. 'HooksB provided on thegate and cotiperating witheyes or staples 36 on said uprights 22., or any equivalent latching means, may be eniployedior retaining-said gate in upright position.

A ofside bar-s40 is provided at each side of the rack for spanning the space be tween the front and rear uprights or ards 20, when it is desired tohave the des of the rack inclosed. [As it is one oi the main objects of this invention to enable and- .thcse side bars to be placed position or taken down at will and with a minimum oi trouble and loss 01": time. I.p1o'-.-'ide each of the corner standardsQO with a series of bracket-pieces, designated :nenerallv by, the

reference numerals: a2, and which may be conveniently stamped from sheet lUQtfll to iorni flanges let adapted to be secured to the standards in ny suitable manner. "Each bracket 42 1s shaped to. torninn effect a socket closed at one end. by. the face 0t the standard, and open at its other end, and also open at-"the top fer. permitting the ends oi the side bars to be simply drop 'iedz-down into place wit-l in the brackets. The-brackets being mounted on 'the inner. opposed abut against the ends of the sidebars t0 and normallyserve-to restrict any GHClWlSL-{I UOVG- inc-ht ott'he'side bars, while thelside: walls of said-"brackets obviously, prevent anvl-ateral movement Jotthe side. bars a0.

Q- noi' 1e. oat is sucn lVheie the chu'icte ltl l l l to tend to boa-the. side bars -20 outwardly and thuseause an endw-ise slipping 'o'tvthe ends or-the slde bars within the braekets,,ad-

ditional security may he desired for retainng the ends, of. thesidefbars in position. One of the means which may be employed.

; for this purpose comprises bolts 45 as shown in' Figs, 1- and 2, which bolts are. passed throu ghthe ends; of the side bars and through registering bolt openings {:6 formed inthe sidewalls of the brackets- ,22. (see Fig.

by virtue o! tl'ieir beinp notonlypro id .ine'diate upright 6 t at). Or. as illustrated in Figs. 1. 2,\-l and 5,

the brackets may bev torined 'vtithi notches 48 in their u 3 er ed 'es. adapted to receive the l l e i projecting ends of cross plates 50 secured to the'ends of'thesidebars 4-0, which construction will obviously hold the side bars firmly in fixed" relation to the b 'ackets. Again,

this object may be attained by providing indieu of the soecific torn of bracket-e224 alread .idescribed. A very similar; arrangeinent is set forth in Fig. 9. in-whiclrtheside bar 4LO has each ofitsends fitted-with a block formed ivitha tenonnrojectionfil adapted to be received 111% a' mortise bracket 62 carried by the: standard.

Each-oi the forms of .construction above described torronnecting the-side bars-a0 with the corner standards serves'theessentialhpurpose of removably supporting and retaining the de bars against lateral movement as well againstendwise movement,

' ed with. means in: positiveengagement with .said iraokcts but also by the side bars beingheld with their enosin a butnient with the-inner o p posed "faces of "the: standards.

The construction abovedescribed cit-course arms to dispense'with gIlYs'SlClG standards or uprights intermediate the .corner standards 30, and for most purposes wiill be found-ado quate but I ,contemplate using, asan additional security in sonieinstances an. interateach side of-therack, these two uprights- (it being-simply.bolted,

- as at 66 :(see Fig.2) to theitop side barsu rO and provided with foot tenons adapted-tobc fitted 7 through mortise openings :70 in; extensions 72, of the flooring ltiqarojecting from the opposite sides ofI therackrbed,

At each. ofthecornersofthe raclnbed, a retaining device is provided for receiv ng the ends the side rails tO whenlthey are cleniounted from. the corner. standards and piled in' assembled .relation; on the rraclnbed as shown ill/Fig. 4. Each of -these retaining devices comprises a receptacle. structure,- including a bottom Tt .formedlby an wexten- .sion ofthe flooring: '16, andalsoi anlouterrside van? 6 and end WttlliYS.WhllGQOIlBi-OftthB angle..bracket-s.-2et Ofeach standard-5 201 is form ed with a web /plate :80, to, provide an inner side walliforlthe corresponding retainu ngdevice- .Thus means asprovadedsfor supporting the ends of the side bars or rails when in demounted position, their mi'dportions being supported by the extensions 7 2 above referred to; and in this position, as illustrated in Fig. 4, the side rails are retained against any tendency to either lateral or endwise movement, as will be readily un derstood.

A strap iron step 82 may be conveniently attached by securing it in position at opposite sides of one of the extensions 72.

hen the gate 30 is let down to form the floor of a stock chute, as already referred to, means is provided for forming the sides of the chute, as illustrated in Fig. l, and for this purpose I provide a pair of side grate members made up of vertical pieces 84: connected by horizontal cross strips 86. The lower ends of the vertical pieces 84 are formed with tenons 84 (see Fig. for fitting in a pair of mortise irons 88 secured to each of the opposite side edges of the gate 30. In most of the positions of the chute as thus constructed it will be apparent that the side grate members will be securely supported by the mortise irons 88, and the front ends of the cross strips 86 will be engaged by the sides of the gateway formed by the intermediate rear uprights or standards 22 and thereby retained sufficiently firmly, for all practical purposes, against any lateral outward movement. The grate members are further provided With hook elements 90 adapted to hook over the top side bars or rails 40 for suspending the said grate members therefrom (see Flgs. 2 and 3) when the 0 ate structure is not required, the gate 30 being simply closed by swinging the same up into upright position and latching it as already explained.

Having described the invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters- Patent, is:

1. A grain and stock rack construction comprising a rack bed, corner standards carried by said bed, a series of side bars for each side of the rack, and means for detachably connecting the ends of said side bars to the standards With the ends of the side bars abutting against the inner opposed faces of the standards.

2. A grain and stock rack construction comprising a rack bed, corner standards can ried by said bed, a series of side bars for each side of the rack, and brackets carried by the inner opposed faces of said standards and forming sockets for removably receiving and supporting the ends of said side bars in abutment with the said opposed faces of the standards While preventing any lateral movement of the ends of said side bars.

3. A grain and stock rack construction comprising a rack bed, corner standards carried by said bed, a series of side bars for each side of the rack, brackets carried by said standards and forming sockets for removably receiving and supporting the ends of said side bars and preventing lateral movement thereof, and means for preventing endWise movement of said side bars within said brackets.

4. A grain and stock rack construction comprising a rack bed, corner standards carried by said bed, a series of side bars for each side of the rack, means for detachably connecting the ends of said side bars to said standards, and means for removably receiving and retaining said side bars in assembled relation at the bottoms ofsaid standards on opposite sides of said bed.

5. A grain and stock rack construction comprising a rack bed, corner standards carried by said bed, a series of side bars for each side of the rack, means for detachably connecting the ends of said side bars to said standards, and a side bar retaining device at each corner of the bed, said retaining devices being shaped to receive the ends of said side bars and support the same in assembled relation at the bottoms of said standards and serving to retain said bars against either lateral or endwise movement.

In Witness whereof I hereto afiiX my signature.

GEORGE S. SOWERS. 

